With Bournemouth moving one step closer to survival after a 1-0 victory, Premier League opponent Southampton now appears to be headed for the drop. On Thursday, the away team won the South Coast rivalry thanks to a goal from Marcus Tavernier that was deflected in at the 50-minute mark. With the three points, they move seven points clear of the bottom three. Southampton, however, has had a terrible season and is currently six points from escaping with only five games remaining.
Che Adams believed he had salvaged a point for Southampton, but it was ruled out for offside after a VAR assessment, giving Bournemouth, who were the superior team, a scare. The victory adds to Gary O'Neill's efforts at Bournemouth, where he was appointed manager to succeed Scott Parker. Bournemouth were largely in control of the match despite their narrow advantage.